“Virtual school is a great choice for many students, but it requires a commitment on the part of parents to be involved in their child’s education,” says Sylvia Pryor, director for community outreach at Connections Academy. “Although many students adjust quickly, not all students are suited to learning at home. At our information sessions for prospective families, we let parents and students know what they can expect in the virtual school setting. We want students to thrive in our program, and understanding how it works and what is required is essential.”

Families interested in full-time online school should consider the following “ABCs” of successful virtual schooling to determine if this form of education is a good fit:

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While each family has its own reasons for choosing full-time virtual schools, the most common driver is the ability for a student to work at his own pace and level, regardless of what other students are doing. The proliferation and proven success of virtual schools like the national network of Connections Academy schools has also fueled the e-learning education boom. “More parents today know about the solid academic track record of virtual schools. They see that technology helps deliver a more personalized education for their children, so that students’ studies are tailored to their abilities, needs, and interests,” says Connections Academy’s Senior Vice President for Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Patricia Hoge. “Virtual schools are increasingly the go-to option for students who aren’t thriving in a traditional bricks-and-mortar classroom setting.”

For the rest of the article, go to Back to school with virtual learning: Separating fact from fiction

First, more families than ever have embraced virtual education in general: Some 2 million American K-12 students now get some or all of their education virtually, according to research firm Ambient Insight. Second, the format of virtual schools eases a student’s adjustment period – and physical transitions for both student and family. Finally, family finances sometimes come into play. Virtual public schools – like all public schools – are tuition free and virtual private schools like National Connections Academy cost a fraction of traditional “bricks and mortar” private schools. Yet they deliver the academic rigor and highly personalized educations that are hallmarks of independent schools. So families with children enrolled in traditional private schools who are struggling to meet hefty tuition obligations often find they can save significant money and still get an independent school-caliber education.

For the rest of the article, go to New year, new school? Virtual schools ease transition.

More than 2 million children in kindergarten through 12th grade are learning online, and their ranks are growing by almost 20 percent each year, according to research by Ambient Insight. Currently, 45 states have significant supplemental online learning programs, or full-time programs, in which students take most or all of their courses online.

“One reason families are turning to full-time virtual schools is that parents are seeking a more personalized education for their children, where students’ studies are tailored to their abilities and interests, and they can work at their own pace,” says Dr. Steven Guttentag, executive vice president and chief education officer for Connections Academy, a leading virtual school provider that offers both public and private virtual school programs. “Of course most importantly, they work. Students are achieving at high levels and matriculating into some of our nation’s best universities.”

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Experts say for-profit providers of online courses—long seen as an option for home-schoolers and a potential rival to public schools—are breaking into the public education mainstream as more schools mix face-to-face classes and online courses to expand their curricular offerings. With demand for that “blended” approach expected to grow, other players in the online-coursetaking marketplace, such as Apex Learning, Aventa Learning, Compass Learning, and Kaplan Virtual Education, are also seeking business in public schools.

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